Detective Comics 448

Detective Comics 448

May 1975

Bedlam Beneath the Big Top!

by Len Wein, Ernie Chan, Dick Giordano, Julius Schwartz

Batman follows some information that Jack Ryder (aka the Creeper) dug up for him and goes to see Gaston St. Lucifer’s Circus Extraordinaire. He sneaks around, finds some answers, and gets into fights with several of the circus performers. He locates Ra’s Al Ghul and Talia, both very much alive and learns how and why he was framed for murder. 

Detective Comics 447

Detective Comics 447

May 1975

Enter: The Creeper

by Len Wein, Ernie Chan, Dick Giordano, Julius Schwartz

Batman digs up the coffin of Ra’s Al Ghul but finds it empty. He is about to do the same for Talia’s coffin when a couple police officers show up. He tries to show them that the coffin is empty but when he does it is no longer empty. They try to arrest him. He runs.

Alfred performed some forensic work on the gun that killed Ra’s and Talia. It was handmade and there was a hair from a lion on it. Batman takes Alfred’s discoveries into account and heads to the Gotham Zoo. The Creeper, convinced that Batman is a murderer, tries to apprehend the Dark Knight. They both find themselves in danger when someone frees the zoo’s lions from their cage.

Detective Comics 446

Detective Comics 446

May 1975

Slaughter in Silver

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Batman goes back undercover to investigate a skeleton that was found inside  one of Bruce Wayne’s statues. He sneaks into Gotham City Police HQ disguised as a janitor. His detective work is interrupted by three men who want to take the skeleton from the morgue.

He follows the thugs after his fight with them gets broken up by a couple police officers. The thugs inadvertently lead him to Sterling Silversmith, their boss. Another fight breaks out but this time Batman gets knocked unconscious. He wakes up just as Silversmith is getting ready to kill him.

Detective Comics 445

Detective Comics 445

Mar 1975

Break-In at the Big House

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Commissioner Gordon asks Bruce Wayne to help him convince Batman to turn himself in. Bruce instead gets dressed up as Batman and breaks in to Gotham City's prison. He wants to have a talk with Ra’s Al Ghul. The mastermind criminal confounds Batman by shooting himself in the chest. The guards assume that Batman shot Ra's. The guards try to apprehend Batman but the Dark Knight Detective escapes through a tunnel created by the Spook. 

Detective Comics 444

Detective Comics 444

Jan 1975

Bat-Murderer!

by Len Wein, Jim Aparo, Julius Schwartz

Commissioner Gordon recounts to one of his men of how he sent Batman on a mission that resulted in the Dark Knight murdering Talia Al-Ghul. Commissioner Gordon tried to have Batman arrested but Batman insisted he was innocent. Batman fled into the night, determined to find the evidence that would clear his name. 

Thoughts

This is the first chapter of a five-part story. This installment is just 12 pages long. I am reading it in Tales of the Batman: Len Wein via Hoopla. The individual issues would probably cost me at least $15 to $25 a piece in fine condition.